Active Member

I am starting to look around for a bigger TV, and have seen some of the new 'budget plasma screens'

My question is, is the HYUNDAI HPT-4240 (£999 from Comet) really that bad? That kind of cash is realistically around my budget, if low price Plasma screens aren't any good would I be better off looking at the Rear Projection TV's? (TOSHIBA 42WH46P or SAMSUNG SP42Q2HLX/XEU) - only problem there is I can't find any dimensions of those boxes, plus they're supposed to be heavy as well?

Sorry if my questions are a bit daft - I'm just setting out on my research into this.

Guest

Not daft at all mate - i was a nooobie only a month ago an now have a fantastic system to look forward to..but way above year budget. The Huyandai is much like the Tiny - they even look like they are one and the same panel..Do not buy any of these or look forward to disaster at home.

Go for a Panny pw6/7 for only a couple hundred quid more if you can live wivout HD for a year or two. Do it. And if I am wrong then you can tell me publicly I am a liar here on this forum.

Active Member

In general, the reponse you will find will be buy a Panny, however its all down to the individual. The panny is reasonable now so should make a pause for thought

You will probably be pointed to various previous posts of peoples opinions about budget Plasmas, in a few cases they are correct however there a some which do a decent job. But remember the best opinion is your own end experience.

Best thing you can do is research and view, also consider your other equipment and connections. Buy the best your budget will allow, for example get a decent DVD player which outputs DVI/Component.

One trouble you will find is viewing screens in major stores like comet, they are all poorly setup, and have shoddy input sources. Calibration is the key, this can be achieved by a professional, or you can spend time and this can be considerable, by doing it yourself. Try visiting a more specialist centres where you will find the sales staff are more than happy spend time with you and know what they are talking about.

Active Member

I looked at the PW7 I think Richer sounds are doing it for the same price.

But here is where i get totaly lost!!! Looks like I might need to buy extras to get it working?

I'll be connecting the screen to my sky box and a DVD with surround sound. The screen will need speakers for sky (DVD and surround are 1 system, not sure how or if I could connect the speakers to the screen direct!)

The more I read about Plasma screen the more confused I get at the moment. All these cards and boards and cables that everyone here seems to be buying.

Active Member

A good budget buy would be the Panasonic PW but also consider the LG RZ42PX11 ( just plug it in and away you go! ), it is your own opinion that counts. Make sure you see both with your own eyes to me the LG is better to some its the Panny its personal preference.

Guest

CW states some very valid points so bear that in mind! Oh I am not advocating you having to buy a Panny...The Panny prices you must remember are end of line - they cost 3.5 k when released!!!.

I myself am getting the brand new Fujitsu 50" by the way!!! And a scaler and ISF ..so am spending lots of money to get a PQ i want ..This applies only to me..but given your budget i cannot think of any other Plasma worth even looking at for the price you wanna pay.

Yes you will need to factor in extra for DECENT cabling and video boards. For your needs a Component/Scart or Scart/RGB would be OK but add a couple hundred for both or 140 for one etc..sporry are you using an all in one audio system?? I am not sure if you can connect speakers to screen pw6/7 direct -otherwise you send the audio signal from sky via scart and your DVD receiver via normal leads into the audio inpout on screen...the video cabling from Sky and DVD goes direct to screen too so three cables into wscreen for video and audio. others know more so will help out im sure here.

Best of luck whatever you do - get a big screen and your life will change forever! But do keep some hold on your other half at the same time!!!lol.

Active Member

Not daft at all mate - i was a nooobie only a month ago an now have a fantastic system to look forward to..but way above year budget. The Huyandai is much like the Tiny - they even look like they are one and the same panel..Do not buy any of these or look forward to disaster at home.

Click to expand...

why are you putting Hyundai in the same bracket as Tiny ?
Are there pages & pages of people with trouble with Hyundais ?
I think most on here with Hyundais are happy with them ,I know i am

Guest

Fair point mate - but reading my psot you will of course see me saying its upto individual choice..hey i am chuffed for you if you like your Hyundai..i am simply expressing my opinion of low priced plasma panels from car amnufacturers!..lol. Having said that I still stick to my original postion....

i was under the impresion hyundai are a very large company with their fingers in many pies,and i wudnt be surprised if many of our lg's pannys etc pob have a few seret hyundai components so defo wouldnt class any other manufacturer withperhaps the exception of the techwood and goodmans to be as bad as the tiny, i think the way they advertise it makes it worse lol with all that they save money by cuttin middle man and assembled in uk etc etc the jokers lol, i feel so sorry for the customers who fell for it, theyre the equivalent of delboy selling betamax video players in the same isle as dvd/hd recorders and highlighting the exclusivity of the lol

Active Member

after doing some more reading, I've come to the sad conclusion that buying a cheap Plasma screen is going to be a waste of money!

My budget cannot stretch to a semi decent kit, especially if I have to start buying cards and extended warrenties etc. I've decided to have a look at some rear projection sets (I may have a sly look at Plasma while I'm there though! )

It looks like I can get my screen size for a lot cheaper (just takes up a bit more room!)

Guest

no! come on. I just read a review that gives the Hyundai plasma 4 out of 5 stars for value when it was £1800 now its much cheaper as Ross-P says believe these professional reviewers.
You know im pulling your chain dont you

Standard Member

Take a look at the forums here. There are loads and loads of threads asking "Which plasma do I buy?" "Is it HD ready" "Will HD be any good?" "what about Blu Ray?" "Plasma vs LCD" etc etc etc. Even though plasma has been around for quite a while now it's still a relatively new technology and lets face it there are quite a few 'experts' who have completely contrasting opinions and none of them have a crystal ball.Plasmas are great but there are too many niggles with them to think that they are anywhere near a finished article. Personally I think that there will be massive evolution of them in the near future because they are not quite good enough and thats not the way to make money!

My point is that you can buy a £6k plasma today or a £999 one and you will, in a frighteningly short space of time, be left with an old TV that's maybe not able to do the things you want or not quite as good as your mates. Then what will you do? Will civilisation begin to crumble? Your family unit fall apart? The dog move in the the milkman? No. You'll just buy a new friggin' TV!

Buy a TV that looks good to you. With your eyes. It's the only way. You may hate the Hyundai,LG,Sony but think the Techwood looks mint. Up to you. Your money. That's the point. But will you be so comfortable ditching your expensive model in 2 years time?

Guest

excellent points there my man....but i am more than happy to spend 7k on a screen and scaler which i know will last the test of time for 5-10 years...and then i will buy the newest techno gear!..Speding my 7k knowing i am buying into excellence is more VFM then spending 1k for a dodgy motor wiv no spare parts innit?...There is such a thing as an objective view of any product..of course if you think your Skoda is as good as a Merc - fine! It simply aint.

Whatever your mind says to you subjectively, it's still a Skoda and not a patch on a Merc. right?? Try selling a Skoda as a Merc and let me know!

Standard Member

I can see where your coming from Dilsher and I agree to a point. You are in the lucky position of having the necessary finances to be able to splash out on going the extra mile but to use your example of Skoda v Merc, then there is always the plasma version of an Audi or a VW out there. Better value for money, same reliability, all the practicality but without the image and the price tag. Or buy 2 fiats and have one in the bedroom.

Standard Member

At least we are happy in our decisions. I think there becomes a point on these forums where there is too much information. I feel sorry for those who are in the process of deciding. It's like a bleedin' minefield.

Active Member

Go and view and take in some discs (IE NOT cgi). When I started my hunt I went to Comet and viewed a HiSense for £1300 - it's actually a Samsung screen, but within seconds the blurring was driving me mad - and it wasn't even fast moving stuff. So then I looked at the LG42px11....